Intoxicating Sunlight
by MourningMemories7
Summary: Shikamaru x OC; It was simple. They were two exact opposites. He was lazy; she was driven. He found hectic days the bane of his existence. If she didn't have anything to do, she went mad. He fought logically. Charging into battle was more her style. Her extreme feminist ideals rivaled his severely sexist views. So how was he able to understand her? And why did she trust him?


**_Oh my god, I want to dedicate this chapter to _**_zella787_**_ for finally getting me off my butt to write this! This isn't really much of a chapter though, mostly just the beginning of it. I'm going to upload the rest of it next week. Hope you like it!_**

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_"Marry a regular girl who isn't too ugly and not too pretty. Have two children, first a girl, then a boy. Retire after my daughter is married and my son becomes a successful ninja, and spend the rest of my life playing Shōgi or Go. Then die of old age before my wife."  
__**- Shikamaru Nara**_

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It should come to no surprise that in Suna, the weather was scorching and relentless.

The air was thick and dry from the heat, burning all life within its grasp. What furthered the village's hectic state, however, was the sandstorm they'd had merely a few days ago. Furniture in every room was still caked with irritating, rouge dust. It coated the inside of her throat and smothered her. Nikko hated this sensation of not being able to breathe. That stifling feeling of suffocation… she absolutely despised it.

The typically vivacious redhead was slumped on the door in the hallway. Her wide, brown eyes were unusually docile and melancholy as she stared at the wall opposite her. Nikko unconsciously wiped the perspiration off her forehead with the back of her hand, fragments of her muttering falling from her chapped lips. "Of course… wasn't able to leave a week ago… why couldn't I have made friends with normal people…"

She attempted to rub away the beginnings of a headache. It wasn't fair. Other people could simply hand the Kazekage their resignation papers and travel back to where they grew up. If they wished to, they could flee without any goodbyes. With no obligations to divulge their plans. Conversely, she did not have that luxury. Temari would undoubtedly track her down like a malevolent lion. Actually, Nikko was surprised Gaara-sama hadn't notified her yet. Too hesitant to personally face him, she'd left the papers in his office. Which was plain idiotic. They were both aware of the fact that he could demand for her presence to inquire about the request anyway.

Yes, that was completely why she was avoiding him lately. Completely.

The surface she had been leaning on suddenly gave way; she painfully tumbled onto her back. Sunshine momentarily blinded her with its intensity. Bringing her hand up to block it out, Nikko hazily noted the outline of her disheveled best friend. Her hair stuck out in odd directions and under her eyes were dark, indistinct circles. Nikko bit her bottom lip. They'd been a lot worse two weeks ago, when Gaara was initially recovered by Team Kakashi. Though the Kazekage had been alive, he'd barely been able to stand. Temari had fretted over him like a harried mother hen. However, to be fair, her own reaction hadn't been much better…

Apprehension coiled in her lower abdomen. Could she truly leave, barely weeks after that incident? Honestly, she had longed to depart with Team Kakashi and Team Guy. However, when Gaara had returned from a demise that only Lady Chiyo had prevented, she'd decided against it. And from there, the decision had just… spiraled.

"Can I help you?" Temari stared down at her inquisitively, amusement lighting her eyes. Despite her somber ponderings, Nikko scoffed.

"Yes. With the injury you've caused to my spine, I demand to be picked up." As Temari stepped over her to get to the kitchen, she kicked her in the ribs. Nikko yelped, curling into herself. "I still have a bruise there!"

"You shouldn't have tested me then!" She shouted from downstairs.

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While Nikko flopped onto the couch in her exhausted state, Temari brewed some tea, justifying that it was still too early for breakfast. Sleep hovered at the edge of her consciousness, and she suppressed the urge to hiss in annoyance as the warm drowsiness trickled through her blood and emitted a delightful hum. The sensation mocked her, just as it had for the past four days.

_I'm going to go mad if this keeps up._

She was partially insane from the chronic insomnia already, but her frustration dispelled at the thought of clouded judgment. Nikko constantly felt that she was required to be relaxed and rational- it was why she supported sobriety. The scent of rosemary and jasmine swamped her dazed, pathetic form, and she sighed at how lovely it smelled. However, as Temari sat down beside the drained kunoichi, she disturbed more dust. And while the Sand Princess seemed oblivious to the particles, Nikko sneezed violently.

_Hate dust. Hate __**hate**__-_

"So why are you here?" She nearly choked on the sharp blend of herbs, digging her nails into the underside of her thigh to control her gag reflex and easily piercing the primary layer of skin. Temari thundered on, oblivious to the disquieted air beginning to surround them. "It's not like you to be here this early; you always go running before dawn." The redhead swallowed apprehensively, gazing down at her distorted reflection in the bitter liquid instead of at the blonde Chunin. Steam rose from the surface, turning lazy circles before dissipating.

"There's no point in running at five in the morning right now. It's still too hot… Speaking of which, why are we drinking tea in this weather?" The defensive comment came naturally but amplified the guilt settling deeply into her features. Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the persistent strategist didn't falter in her prodding. What ultimately caused her to crack was when Nikko eventually stole another sip of her tea and recognized the hint of Betony, proof that she hadn't been concealing her distress as well as she'd originally thought.

"Um, well... you know how you kind of walked in on that little spat I had with my parents a couple days ago?" Temari nodded slowly, her expression tightening as she recalled it. Nikko flinched back at the scowl, desperately plowing on, practically praying that she wouldn't pry. If she interrupted now, then the remorse would return, and the redhead would never confess.

"Well, my parents-"

The door was flung open, and Kankuro sauntered in rather disheveled and bruised, acknowledging Nikko with a small nod. She bit the inside of her cheek, so she wouldn't shriek in distemper, immediately drawing blood.

He groaned, stretching his neck until he heard an audible crack. "Hey Nikko, long time no see. You haven't been around ever since Gaara got discharged from the hospital." The comment was accompanied with a devious smirk as if he'd just made some loud, scandalous proclamation. Her brow furrowed, and she frowned. Nikko hardly thought it was funny. There had been nothing even remotely amusing about **that** situation when she'd decided to visit him in the infirmary and- "I still don't know how he's able to fight like that just a week after getting out of the hospital ward."

_He wouldn't. _

"I'm pretty sure he went against the medics' wishes in doing that. I'll bet he pulled some strings-"

"It seems you have forgotten that you were injured in that same battle, brother." Nikko tensed at the youngest Sand Sibling's voice, avoiding his eyes as he stepped through the door. His usual monotone was slightly fused with a scolding tang, only decipherable from years of experience. "Straining your injuries is hardly relaxing. Maybe I shouldn't have requested for your discharge early like you requested of me." Nikko found her mouth directing a smirk at Kankuro when his sister glared. He ratted him out. They had all known Temari would have a fit if she'd known Kankuro wasn't even supposed to see sky for the next week. He still had to take medication for another couple days; the poison had caused extensive damage to his organs.

"Temari."

The word effectively broke the growing tension in the room, Nikko distracting the blonde before her inevitable lecture. "I have things to do, I better go." For a moment, she was afraid Temari would mention what she had begun to say about her parents. But, she simply nodded, albeit reluctantly. Nikko almost slumped in relief.

The moment was gone. She'd have to rely on Gaara-sama to quell Temari's hotheadedness. Hopefully, she'd be able to patch up their friendship when the kunoichi traveled to Konoha to recreate the Chunin Exams. Nikko stood up, stretching her arms above her head and yawning. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow, Kankuro." Face strangely devoid of his usual face paint, he grinned.

"Yeah. Maybe you will."

When she reached the door, Nikko realized with a sick twist of her stomach that if she didn't say goodbye to Gaara, then Temari and Kankuro would know something was wrong...  
With the door open, she turned, finally allowing herself to meet seafoam green eyes. For a moment, everything took on a appearance of distortion, blurring and contracting. However, then the world locked back into place, all the colors around her too bright, sounds rushing back to her like static. Nikko almost cried in relief when her voice didn't tremble. "It was exceedingly pleasant to see you, Kazekage-sama." She slightly bowed her head before practically fleeing outside.

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**I realized that in the last one, I didn't really explain her feelings very well, everything was a bit rushed. Don't let how she's acting at the moment fool you though, she's not afraid of him. R & R! :)**


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